


Zen's Tumblr Prompts

by zen_fox



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-03-09 10:43:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 9,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zen_fox/pseuds/zen_fox
Summary: Kandreil, Kandrew, and Kevineil drabbles as requested on my Tumblr.





	1. INDEX

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to request something (Kandreil, Kandrew, and Kevineil only) you can do so [here](https://onlycareaboutexy.tumblr.com/). Each chapter functions as a separate story, and the relevant pairing is listed in the chapter title. 
> 
> The first chapter will function as an index of sorts for the actual prompts, but all other chapters will contain 500-word drabbles.

01\. **Kandrew** — [Hands](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30907548) (Rated G; for @wesawbears)  
02\. **Kevineil** — [Relaxing after night practice](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30909261) (Rated M; for @wesawbears)  
03\. **Kevineil** — [Pool vibes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30911022) (Rated M; for @oxymorts)  
04\. **Kevineil** — [Childhood sweethearts](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30912894) (Rated G; for @oxymorts)  
05\. **Kandrew** — [Pirate AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30930489) (Rated M; for @spookymiscreant)  
06\. **Kevineil** — [Nightmares about the Nest](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/30951478) (Rated G; for anon)  
07\. **Kandreil** — [Brightest Timeline/Trojan AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31003044) (Rated T; for anon)  
08\. **Kevineil** — [Kevin being frustrated by Neil climbing to high shelves](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31034853). (Rated T; for anon)  
09\. **Kandrew** — [Hair stroking](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31100871) (Rated G; for @svragent)  
10\. **Andreil** (Kandreil Context) — [Sleepy mornings](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31260936) (Rated T; for @anon)  
11\. **Kandreil** — [Fighting](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31290606) (Rated T; for @svragent)  
     11a. **Kandrew**  — [The Resolution](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31313619) (Rated T, for @svragent)  
     11b.  **Andreil**  — [The Resolution](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31342473) (Rated T, for @svragent)       
     11c. **Kevineil**  — [The Resolution](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31375353) (Rated T, for @svragent)  
12\. **Kandreil** — [Valentine's Day](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31430634) (Rated G; for @anon)  
13\. **Kevineil** — [Dark!Nathaniel Bodyguard AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31484316) (Rated M; for @oxymorts)  
14\. **Andreil**  (Kandreil Context) — [Neil + Andrew's curls](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31718493) (Rated G; for @spookymiscreant)  
15\. **Kevineil** — [Soft first kiss](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/33417261) (Rated PG; for @anon)

 


	2. KANDREW — hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@wesawbears](http://wesawbears.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandrew and hands.  
>  **Rating:** G

Touching was a big deal for Andrew, something Kevin had learned both the easy way and the hard way.

The easy way had been the night when Andrew had broken into Wymack's to drag his story out of him.

Kevin had spilled secrets instead of blood, then. Andrew had promised to protect him in return. It was the first time in recent memory that anyone had made Kevin feel safe, and something warm had diffused in Kevin's chest —something besides the vodka— making it seem like kissing Andrew would be the world's best idea.

He leaned forward to put his hand on Andrew's face; Andrew immediately ducked out of range, pulling backwards so sharply that he made Kevin's booze-soaked senses tilt a little bit.

" _No_ ," he'd said, and Kevin wasn't so drunk not to know what that meant.

The hard way had come later.

Fighting wasn't new to either of them; there had been a constant battle from the day Kevin stepped into the Foxhole Court, its roots reaching back even deeper into their past.

When Kevin had pushed him into the lockers and Andrew had cut a line across his chest, though... _That_ was new, and as Kevin blinked down at the spilled blood that stained his fingers when he drew them away from his skin, he wondered if that was just the price he would have to pay to be around Andrew.

Blood. Secrets. _Yearning_. There was always some cost to be paid.

It hadn't scarred, but he could still remember the biting sting of it and the way it had throbbed steadily on the court that night where his armour had pressed into it when he turned. Even now, when he puts his hand to the spot he can feel the phantom of the blade parting his skin.

Right at this minute, though, he'd rather touch Andrew.

"Can I?" he asks quietly, and Andrew gives a nod, reaching out with one finger and tracing a circle across Kevin's palm. It's the slightest touch, but it still makes Kevin shiver, the sole point of contact so focused that it feels like he's aware of every arch and ridge.

Kevin slides his fingers between Andrew's when his finger reaches the base of Kevin's again, and their hands fit together as easily and perfectly as breath in his lungs... Though Andrew's breath actually _does_ catch, at the touch. Kevin hears it, and it makes his chest ache in a way that has nothing to do with spilled blood and everything to do with love and wanting, with shared secrets and satisfied yearning, with a sense of safety and belonging.

He sweeps his thumb up the length of Andrew's, down the side of his index finger, then tucks it underneath Andrew's thumb for safe-keeping before he brings their joined hands to his lips and presses a kiss to the inside of Andrew's wrist.

"Despicable," Andrew reminds him, squeezing Kevin's hand.

It's a small price to pay, to touch him.


	3. KEVINEIL — relaxing after night practice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@wesawbears](http://wesawbears.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevin and Neil relaxing after night practice.  
>  **Rating:** M

"Kevin."

Kevin looks up from his position on the bench to find Neil leaning against his locker, wearing only a towel. It's been a long time since Neil's been self-conscious of his scars around Kevin, but he still doesn't usually parade around shirtless, either. A drop of water dangles precariously at the end of one lock of hair before splashing down onto his collarbone and leaving a trail before disappearing somewhere around his pectoral.

Kevin wants to lick him.

"Problem?" he asks, voice low and steady in the way he knows always gets under Neil's skin.

"My shoulder hurts," Neil says. For a second Kevin is worried, but then there's a flicker of something coy and teasing in Neil's features, so he relaxes even before Neil can add, "Will you massage it for me?"

It's not the worst come-on he's had from Neil —that honour goes to the time he spent ten minutes pretending he couldn't manage a new shot angle just so Kevin would press against his back to direct him— but it still makes him roll his eyes.

"Come here," he says, and Neil picks his way across the locker room to him in slow, deliberate steps that give Kevin more than enough time to appreciate the lines of his shoulders, his chest, his stomach... And _lower_ , as he drops the towel right before he sits in Kevin's lap.

Kevin's still wrapped in his own, but it's worn thin enough that he can feel the heat of Neil's body almost as soon as he registers his weight.

"Thanks," he says, tipping his head back to rest against Kevin's shoulder and giving him a smile that's less calculated than the rest of his actions: more real, more _Neil_. Kevin can't stop himself from dipping down to press a kiss to it, feeling it spread and broaden underneath his lips.

He drags his hands up Neil's arms before pushing his thumbs into the place where his delts and traps meet.

" _Ow_?" Neil bites at his lip in complaint, teeth digging into the flesh in retaliation.

"Baby," Kevin says, though he eases up the pressure just a fraction, smoothing over his traps and up to the nape of his neck, making Neil sigh.

"That is the least appealing way you've ever called me baby," he says, though the kiss he presses to Kevin's mouth tells a different story.

"Both apply," Kevin teases, then pushes Neil's jaw away so he's looking forward again. "Now stop turning your head; you're making this difficult."

"Difficult, or _hard_?"

Kevin gives a soft huff of laughter at that.

" _Difficult_ , brat. I'm trying to do this properly."

Neil's silent for a moment, then his head drops.

"I did not think this through," he says, sadly. "I should have realised— ask Kevin Day for a massage, you're going to get a massage."

"You could just ask him for something else," Kevin points out, amused.

He asks, then begs, and in the end? Kevin gives him everything.


	4. KEVINEIL — pool vibes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@oxymorts](http://oxymorts.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil, based on [this short film](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lODiWPrHwuc). I so wanted to make this one longer! Perhaps I'll do a part 2 later?  
>  **Rating:** M

Water closes over the top of Kevin's head, chilling him all the way to the core as he swims a full lap, emerging only long enough to pull a breath before submerging again and returning to where Neil's standing at the side, looking down at him awkwardly.

"Pass me the bottle," he says, folding his arms across the concrete and resting his chin on them.

"You don't think you've had enough?" Neil asks, and Kevin shrugs.

"One bottle of champagne won't get me drunk, Neil," he says.

Neil considers that for a minute before fetching the bottle and sitting down so he can hand it to Kevin, knees tucked against his chest.

"I guess you're right there."

Kevin takes a long swig from the bottle before considering Neil, and holding it out to him.

"You could always help me if you're concerned."

Neil looks at the bottle in Kevin's outstretched hand. His fingers twitch, but he hesitates.

"This isn't exactly you staying sober to watch me."

"No," Kevin says quietly. "But I already know all your secrets now, don't I?"

Neil doesn't bother answering, but he takes the bottle from Kevin's loose fingers and brings it to his lips, taking a long pull from it.

Kevin watches as his throat works, and _wonders_.

"Are you coming in?"

"I'm fine," Neil says, and Kevin feels irritation spike all along his nerves.

"Shy?" he asks, and Neil stares at him for a long moment before he stands to kick off his shoes and unzip his jeans. Kevin doesn't even pretend not to watch as Neil steps out of them, but Neil's hands freeze when they reach the neck of his shirt. The moment stretches out between them like taffy: Neil unwilling to proceed or back down, Kevin unwilling to tell him to stop or look away.

The tension breaks when Neil's stubbornness outweighs his cowardice (like always); he sets his jaw and tugs the sweater and shirt over his head all in one motion. Kevin doesn't take his eyes off him. Neil watches him watching before sitting down again and pushing himself into the pool, landing at the bottom and staying there for a long minute before emerging next to Kevin, close enough that all Kevin can see is his face.

"Happy now?" he asks, and Kevin considers him a minute before nodding.

"Getting there," Kevin says, giving him a lazy smile and swimming around him in a circle.

"You look like a shark," Neil comments, and Kevin shrugs. "What are you even doing in here? I thought it was a joke when you texted me. I didn't know you liked to swim."

"Sometimes," is all Kevin says, though he can't seem to keep his eyes off Neil's mouth when he's talking.

"You keep watching my mouth," Neil points out, though his own gaze flicks down to Kevin's as he says it. "Is there something you want?"

There are a million things Kevin wants.

That night, Neil gives him one of them.


	5. KEVINEIL — childhood sweethearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@oxymorts](http://oxymorts.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil, based on [this short animation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkk9SCRn0) because they look JUST LIKE NEIL AND KEVIN.  
>  **Rating:** G

"Your forward passes need more power."

That's the first thing Kevin says to the boy, because it's the most important thing. The second most important:

"Your footwork is decent, however."

"I'm a—" he starts, and then swallows. "I'm Nathaniel. Nathaniel Wesninski. From—" Another pause. "—Baltimore. I'm here for weekend try-outs."

Kevin has been watching him run around in the jersey with his name printed on it for the last forty-five minutes, so this comes as no surprise.

"True, but irrelevant." He points through the plexiglass to what waits beyond. "The court doesn't care what your name is, or where you're from, or where you'll be tomorrow— and until you prove yourself out there, neither do I."

Wesninski blinks at him a few times, looking disheartened, but there's no point in being soft with him: the Master will not tolerate failure, and Riko will not be charmed by his shy smile and clumsy attempts to befriend him. The kindest thing Kevin can do for Wesninski is to teach him how to earn their acceptance, if not their respect.

(Never their respect; they have none to give.)

It would be easier for Kevin to help him if he were a striker, but the Master has a pair of those already, and now he is beginning to build the base of the future defensive line the Ravens. In another world, Kevin might argue that— Wesninski's build and speed and precision make him better suited to the front of the court (better suited to being at Kevin's side), but for all that Kevin loves the game and the Ravens, he is not so stupid as to speak against the Master's decisions, even for the honour of the sport or the sake of the team.

Instead, he pulls apart Wesninski's game: every play, every pass, every step and shot. His adoration quickly gives way to indignation, and to Kevin's annoyance and offence, he actually has the nerve to argue some of Kevin's calls.

Not all of them, though, and when they get back on the court, he incorporates Kevin's pointers into his playing, much to Kevin's delight and Riko's annoyance. He sneers at the boy, and on their next break takes it upon himself to give his own critique.

Riko does not appreciate Wesninski's arguments as much as Kevin does, and his retaliation is swift; with the entire team to back him, what else would it be?

His smile is cruel as he watches Wesninski turn and flee for the locker room.

Kevin surprises himself more than anyone when he follows, finding the boy sitting against the lockers, knees against his chest, shoulders shaking. Kevin sits down beside him, and uses the sleeve of his jersey to wipe his tear-stained cheek.

"You did well out there," he says quietly, but Wesninski only blinks at him in depressed disbelief, so Kevin tries the only thing he can imagine which might convince him: an introduction.

"I'm Kevin Day. Nice to meet you, Nathaniel Wesninski."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Yes, Neil was gonna say "I'm Abram". And it took him a minute to remember that he could be honest about where he was from, too.
> 
> This poor little liar. PROTECT HIM.
> 
> (And yes, that is Kevin's canon quote and Neil's canon quote. Kevin is Kevin, and as for Neil repeating that part about the court not caring... That one stuck with him whether he wanted it to or not.)


	6. KANDREW — pirate au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@spookymiscreant](http://spookymiscreant.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandrew pirates AU. What I know about pirates, ships, and nautical history you could fit on the head of a pin, but I've tried my best!  
>  **Rating:** M

The _Foxhole_ is ship of a different class to the sleek _Evermore_ : smaller, older, and patched up places Kevin didn't know could _be_ patched before he ended up part of her crew. He can no longer remember his life on land, but even the sea sounds different here— closer, somehow, and _wilder_.

Giving up on sleep for the night, he crawls out of his bunk to find Andrew's also empty. Either Kevin managed a few minutes of sleep without registering it (unlikely), or Andrew is sneakier than Kevin has given him credit for (more probable).

His absence gives Kevin a direction in which to wander once he leaves their cabin, though he meanders first, listening to the sounds of the ship and trying to familiarise himself with her creaks and groans. The _Evermore_ had been tight and gleaming thanks to her fanatical Captain and the robust size of her crew, but there's something comforting about the well-worn boards of the _Foxhole_ and her motley crew.

During engagement, their fragmented nature is like blades beneath Kevin's skin, but at times like this —when everything is quiet and still, when he can wander the passageways without fear of punishment if he is caught— he allows himself to consider the possibility that it might not be all bad, here.

It's still dark overhead when he makes it to the deck, and he picks his way across the ship until he reaches the mast. An upwards glance tells him that Andrew is already in residence in the crow's nest: the plume of smoke rising into the night sky is clearly visible in the moonlight.

Kevin glances around himself, but there's nobody on deck at this hour except whoever's on watch, and if they're watching him, Kevin can't see it.

Swearing quietly under his breath, he mounts the rigging and works his way up— this, at least, is perfectly familiar, and he leverages himself up the futtock shrouds and over into the nest in a couple of seconds.

Andrew favours him with a lazy smile and blows smoke in his direction.

"Out for a morning stroll?"

Kevin coughs and waves a hand in front of himself; such low remedies would never have been prescribed on the _Evermore_ , and they irritate him here no less than there.

"That's a filthy habit," Kevin says, glaring pointedly at the pipe, but Andrew only shrugs.

"So are you," he says, reaching up to hook a finger into the waist of Kevin's breeches. He tugs until Kevin slow-falls, landing with his knees either side of Andrew's hips, hands braced on the railing behind.

"But I doubt your prescribing physicians would approve of me," Kevin murmurs, lips an inch away from Andrew's. Andrew gives a soft laugh and closes the distance between them, burying the next one in Kevin's mouth.

" _I_ do not approve of you," he says when they part, eyes shining pale gold in the dim light, "But I think I will keep you, just the same."


	7. KEVINEIL — nest nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** Tumblr anon. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil, Neil having a nightmare about the nest and Kevin calming him down.  
>  **Rating:** G

It takes a lot to wake Kevin once he's hit deepest part of his cycle, but he's had too many years of sleeping with Neil and his nightmares not to be pulled from slumber by the sounds of his distress.

He blinks into the darkness and reaches for the touch-lamp beside the bed, but even the glow that pools from it makes Neil flinch away into his pillow.

His words are a jumble of nonsense, but Kevin hears _Don't_ and _Please,_ and the worst part is he knows Neil could be dreaming about a hundred different points in his life where he's been hurt. It boils his blood— But then Neil says _Riko_ , and that chills him all the way through until until not just his blood is freezing, but his marrow, his organs.

His heart.

"Neil."

Always Neil. Only Neil.

(Never Nathaniel.)

Kevin doesn't try to shake him awake, just lays a gentle hand on his chest over his heart, smoothing over the fabric with his fingers.

"Neil, wake up. You're dreaming, baby, it's just a nightmare."

"No," Neil says, almost violently; he twitches under Kevin's fingers, but does not flinch away, something Kevin considers progress. He's read up enough to know not to wake him roughly, but he can't just sit here and _watch_ this— Watch Neil remembering and suffering those horrors with god knows how much added on by his subconscious.

"It's just me," he says quietly, scooting closer to Neil's side and threading his fingers with Neil's, squeezing lightly. "It's Kevin. It's a dream. You have to wake up, Neil, come on."

"Not Kevin, _don't_ —" Neil says, sounding even more distressed, and then he jerks awake, gasping. " _Stop_ —"

"Neil, it's me." He slides his hand up Neil's chest and catches his face, cupping his jaw. "You're safe. It's just us. He's not here."

The confusion and horror on Neil's face slowly bleeds into an expression of relief, then into distress.

"It's been five fucking years, Kevin," he says, voice a little hoarse; Kevin presses his forehead to Neil's and cards his fingers through his hair. "I hate this. I hate it."

"I know."

The nightmares have grown progressively less frequent as the years have gone by, but the fact that he still has them at all— of course he hates it. So does Kevin: he hates that Riko still has his claws in them from beyond the grave, or that even if he hasn't, that the wounds haven't quite healed over yet, that the scabs keep tearing open again and again.

"What can I do?" he asks quietly.

Neil nuzzles into his cheek, his jaw, then his throat, and Kevin feels something in his chest twist tighter and tighter for every fraction Neil relaxes.

He thinks it might be love.

"Just be here," Neil says, curling around him and wrapping his arms around Kevin's waist.

"Every night," Kevin says softly, and eventually Neil is lulled into peaceful sleep by the constant rhythm of his heart.

 


	8. KANDREIL — brightest timeline (trojan au)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** @anon. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil, "brightest timeline verse" aka the Kandreil Trojan AU.  
>  **Rating:** T

_**Dublin  
February 22nd, 1986** _

"Father's name?"

The woman hesitates, stroking the shock of dark hair that falls across the baby's forehead.

"Wymack," she says, eventually. "W-Y-M-A-C-K. David Wymack."

" _Wymack_ ," he repeats, printing the letters neatly on the form. "Mother's name?"

"Kayleigh Day. K-A-Y-L-E-I-G-H."

"And the boy?"

Kayleigh looks down at her son, her smile softening the hard line of her jaw.

"Kevin. Kevin Wymack."

 

* * *

 

_**California  
November 4th** **, 1986** _

"I'm sure," the woman says. She doesn't look up as she signs the words _Tilda Hemmick_ repeatedly, her expression hidden by the ratty blonde hair that curtains her face.

"If you change your mind..."

"I am sure," she repeats, though this time she does look up: her eyes are hazel-gold, and it occurs to him that she was beautiful once, before drugs and bad choices and nine months of carrying twins. "I don't want anything to do with them. They'll be useless, just like their father."

The tiny babies in the crib don't look useless to Jack, but given the delicacy of the situation, he knows better than to comment.

"Thank you," is all he says. "You've completed our family. It means the world to us."

He turns his gaze to the twins, and thinks about how Annabelle will look holding them, how his son will love teaching them to play, what it will be like to have the family they've always wanted.

She doesn't reply, or look at the boys as they're wheeled away. Jack watches until they're out of sight, then down at the papers in his hands.

" _Aaron and Andrew Knox_. Welcome to the family."

 

* * *

 

 _**Maryland** _  
_**June 6th, 1987** _

" _Jesus Christ_ , Mary." Stuart looks down at the cooling body. "This is one hell of a big step."

"I was out of time," she says. It seems like killing her husband agrees with her: for the first time in years, there's no tension in her shoulders as she reaches into her back pocket and produces a white stick, holding it out Stuart. "Two lines means pregnant."

Well, well.

"First: put that away. You've pissed on it. Secondly... Well, I suppose you didn't have a lot of choice. This one—" he says, waving a hand over the corpse, "Was never going to handle a kid well. Look— We'll sort it. Don't worry. You just worry about the little one." To take her mind off the future, he poses a question: "What are you going to call him?"

"Abram," she says. "After dad."

Stuart pulls a face.

"Maybe something from this century? You can have that for his middle name. For his first name... God, I don't know. How about Neil?"

"Neil Hatford," she says slowly. "It does have a ring to it."

 

* * *

 

 _**Los Angeles  
** _ _**August 25th** **, 2006**_

**Excerpt from the line-up of the USC Trojans:**

Kevin D. Wymack, Starting Striker (Junior)  
Neil A. Hatford, 1st Reserve Striker (Freshman)  
Andrew J. Knox, Starting Goalkeeper (Sophomore)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is pre-Kandreil, really, but it sets the scene for the much longer Kandreil AU I'm going to write where, for the reasons outlined here, the trio end up at USC instead of PSU, and they all had loving and stable (if unconventional) homes beforehand. 
> 
> ...And yes, that _is_ Knox-as-in-Jeremy Knox. Guess who has two adopted baby brothers in this verse? I'm excited to write the sequel/full version of this, so I think it's next on the docket after I finally complete the next story in the Kandreil Continuation series.


	9. KEVINEIL — high shelves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** @anon. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil, Kevin being frustrated by Neil climbing to high shelves.  
>  **Rating:** T

"Neil, for god's sake."

Neil doesn't even bother looking, just grabs the roasting pan and hops from the counter.

"You could just ask me to get you these things."

"It's quicker to get them myself," Neil says, looking puzzled. "You were all the way in the other room."

"The other room that's twenty steps away?" Kevin gives him a look that's withering, but Neil ignores that too, busy shaking frozen vegetables into the pan.

"I got all the way to eighteen without you taking things from high shelves for me. It's fine, Kevin."

It's not fine, but he has the damn thing down now, so there doesn't seem much point in arguing...

 

* * *

 

Until it happens again.

A week later, they're at the grocery store. Kevin only leaves him alone for five minutes— with the list, sure, but he's a goddamn adult, surely he can be trusted with a grocery list.

(He cannot be trusted with a grocery list.)

When Kevin returns, Neil's standing on the second shelf and reaching for the bread at the back of the top one.

"What the fuck?"

Neil grabs the loaf and clambers back down, giving Kevin a betrayed look.

"What?"

"Doing this at home is bad enough; in public is unforgivable. You look ridiculous."

"You're the one who said to never take from the front of the shelf because the fresher stuff is at the back!"

"Yes, because I imagined you would know better than to climb things in public like a chimpanzee. I thought that went without saying. Since it doesn't, I'm now saying it: stop climbing things to get items from high shelves. Especially in public. You'll break your neck— or worse, get photographed doing it."

"Thanks, Hermione," Neil snaps.

Kevin's used to Neil's bitching as Neil is used to Kevin's, but there's a sour expression on his face that reads like more than casual sniping and annoyance, though Kevin's not sure what it is.

 

* * *

 

The third time it happens, they're at the court— Kevin comes back to the locker room to find Neil stretched on tip-toe, hand jammed into the top shelf of Kevin's locker. Before he can even say anything, Neil jumps and wedges both feet along the sides, inching his way upwards, and Kevin _cannot take any more_.

"What did I tell you?!"

Neil starts at the noise, bangs his head, loses his grip. He ends up on his ass on the locker room floor, glaring up at Kevin with hurt and and fury in his eyes.

"Fuck you," he spits, getting to his feet. "You know what? I'm done trying to do nice things for you."

"Wait, what? You—"

And then it clicks.

Roast vegetables. Listening to pointers. His Exy gear.

_Oh_.

"Neil," Kevin says, and when Neil looks up, Kevin holds his hands out, low at hip level. "I'm— Sorry. But... You could always climb me?"

After all... It's safer, and less likely to get him into trouble.

(It works out the nicest thing of all.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this one is a little wacky; I spent four hours on an airplane today, am now in another country with limited internet, and I am not even close to operating at full capacity. ❤️


	10. KANDREW — hair stroking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@svragent](http://svragent.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandrew and hair-stroking.  
>  **Rating:** G

Andrew, Kevin privately thinks, is a lot like the cats: standoffish at times and affectionate at others with no way to discern which mood he's in until it becomesobvious through either distance, or the lack thereof. 

With the cats, that tends to get on his nerves a little bit, but with Andrew...

Well.

Kevin loves him.

So that's that.

He's halfway through the Bears' game (he'd promised Jeremy a full critique afterwards) when Andrew (like the cats) makes his mood known by plopping down on the sofa and putting his head into Kevin's lap.

It's a first.

Predictably, Kevin freezes a little bit.

"Just watch your stupid game," Andrew says, eyes closed, like this isn't any kind of big deal.

"Yeah," Kevin says, swallowing thickly. "Okay."

He watches, though he doesn't pay as much attention as he should, too keenly aware of the weight of Andrew's head against his legs and the way his eyelashes look fanned out across his cheeks: burned gold over freckles.

"I can feel you staring."

He doesn't even bother opening his eyes when speaking.

"I can feel you, period," Kevin says, and the corner of Andrew's mouth twitches slightly.

"You can touch," he says, and Kevin's hand settles on his chest, light and reverent, only the pads of his fingers making contact with Andrew's shirt.

"Is this okay?"

"Yes."

Kevin lets more and more weight settle until his palm is flat over Andrew's heart, then he goes back to watching the game.

Here's another similarity between Andrew and the cats: however hard it might be to descry his moods, it's harder for Kevin to resist petting at him when given the opportunity. As the game wears on, he finds his hand stroking lightly over Andrew's chest and up his throat, teasing the backs of his fingers beneath his ear (and if he hears a soft sigh from Andrew for that, Kevin knows better than to comment), before finally making their way into his hair.

Andrew tips his head into it, and Kevin takes that as encouragement to proceed. He combs his fingers lightly through it, catching and dragging through the soft strands and winding them around his fingers. Andrew is so hard, mentally and physically— this is the only part of him that's soft and flexible and yielding. Kevin loves that Andrew will let him play with it like this, that he feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable this way: eyes closed, breathing steady, Kevin's hand stroking over and through the strands, the white-pink scars on his skin a stark contrast to the white-gold of Andrew's hair.

When the game ends, he sits up a little, eyeing Kevin.

"You have made me _greasy_ with all your petting," he says, running his own hand through his hair to re-arrange it. "I am going to shower."

Kevin murmurs a wordless agreement, reaching for his phone, but then Andrew says—

"Come with me?"

—and Kevin thinks Jeremy might have to wait for his commentary.


	11. (K)ANDREIL — sleepy mornings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** @anon. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** dead-to-the-world-asleep Kevin and is-skipping-his-morning-routine-to-snuggle-with-his-boyfriends Neil and desperately-needs-to-pee-but-doesn't-want-to-disturb-Neil Andrew. lol basically just a sleepy morning cuddle pile.  
>  **Rating:** T

Five years in, Andrew's accustomed to waking up before Neil and Kevin.

It's nice to have that time to himself to piece together whatever thoughts his mind had decided to spit out in the night, to prepare himself for all the day might hold.

There's also something appealing about watching his boys without their awareness of his attention: without Neil's knowing, pleased little smile or Kevin's subconscious, reflexive posing.

Andrew wouldn't admit either to liking either the space or watching them, but both remain true.

...Which is why it's slightly disconcerting to find Neil's blue eyes wide and watching once Andrew claws his way into wakefulness.

"Hi," he says, voice still scratchy from sleep; if he's been awake long, he hasn't been talking. Which follows— although Kevin's got his arm draped across Neil's waist from behind, his face is buried in Neil's hair, and he remains dead to the world.

"How long have you been awake?"

It seems the only reasonable question.

"No idea. Your head's in the way of the clock," Neil says.

The smugness on his features is unbearable.

"That is your excuse for the staring."

"And I'm sticking with it," Neil agrees.

Andrew can't take any more; he fists his hand into the front of Neil's shirt and pulls him closer, nosing along his jaw. He smells like sleep and Kevin and _home_ , which makes Andrew's stomach clench with a weird combination of _loveneedfearhatewantsafe_ , a cacophony of feelings that tumble though his system too fast to grasp or deal with any of them.

Not that it matters. He's felt it all before.

He feels it every time Neil looks at him.

Neil sighs softly when Andrew's lips find his pulse.

"I should get up," he says, making no move to do so, but it's still enough for Andrew to raise his head.

"Take the idiot with you if you go," he says, gesturing at Kevin. "I spent an hour trapped in his grip yesterday after you went for your run."

" _Trapped_ ," Neil says, his expression skeptical. He has a point; Andrew now quite likes being pressed against Kevin's warm, sleepy bulk, and is well informed on how to wake him in a hurry if he needs to, but it's the principle of the thing.

"He clings," Andrew says, mustering what remains of his dignity.

"So do you, sometimes."

He has a point there, too, but Andrew's even less inclined to acknowledge that one.

"Liar."

"Not anymore. Not to you."

There's nothing Andrew can say to that, so he kisses Neil instead— deep, searching kisses that make him feel like he's drowning, like part of him could crawl inside Neil and never come out, like this is the only thing in the world that matters right now, like everything outside the borders of their bed and their bodies fades slowly away.

Neil's almost glowing when they part, and he snuggles back against Kevin's chest, gaze remaining on Andrew's face.

He doesn't get up.

He only said "should", anyway.


	12. KANDREIL — fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@svragent](http://svragent.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil and fighting.  
>  **Rating:** T

* * *

KEVIN & ANDREW 

* * *

 

"Nobody turns down an invitation from Court."

"Your ex did," Andrew says, and Kevin has to stick his tongue between his teeth at the back so he doesn't grind them together. "It does not seem to have caused her too much harm."

"Thea. You can use her name. You _should_ use it; you're going to be teammates."

"Not without Neil."

Kevin wants to scream.

"They're not doing it to spite him. Or you. There's no _spot_ for another striker right now! Don't you know I'd push for his inclusion if it were possible?"

"I will not play without him."

"Andrew, he doesn't _mind_ — He was delighted when I took my place. He'll be ecstatic for you."

"You are missing the point."

"The point being: _you're_ being ridiculous?"

"The point being: I said _no_ , and you are not listening," Andrew says, and Kevin can't work out if his eyes or his voice is the coldest as Andrew stares him down.

 

* * *

ANDREW & NEIL

* * *

 

"You have to take better care of yourself."

That's what Neil says as he surveys Andrew's kitchen. Andrew had expected this kind of shit from Kevin, but from Neil? It's difficult to tolerate. He waves a hand and heads into the living room in the hopes that Neil will let it drop, but Neil is nothing if not determined when he sinks his teeth into something, and he follows at Andrew's heels.

"Andrew, I'm serious. You can't live on take-out noodles and ice-cream and cigarettes."

"I already have a Kevin," Andrew reminds him. "And one is sufficient."

"If I was Kevin, I'd be trying to remind you that it'll affect your game. That's not what I'm worried about."

Andrew raises a brow, and Neil hurries to continue:

"Not _all_ I'm worried about. Not that it's all he'd be worried about, either, but Andrew... You need to look after yourself."

"I do not _need_ anything," Andrew says, because doesn't Neil get it? He's cut off from them now, and he doesn't know how to deal with that.

He can feel Neil's wounded gaze on him the rest of the night.

 

* * *

NEIL & KEVIN

* * *

 

 "What the fuck was that?"

Neil wasn't expecting Kevin to be happy —seven days to his last ever game against the Ravens, there was no way he wouldn't be on edge— but he wasn't expecting Kevin to get in his face the instant they had privacy after practice, either.

"They've given everything they can today, Kevin. It was time to call it a night." Kevin smacks his hand against the locker at Neil's head, and Neil glares up at him. "Stop behaving like a child."

"There's one week to finals. Remember what happened last year? Do you want it to happen again?"

Neil jerks a little at that, stung; going from reigning Champions to early losers was gut-wrenching.

"You're blaming me for that?"

"No, I—"

"Get fucked, Kevin," Neil snaps, and shoulders him out of the way as he heads for the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 —aka the make-up— coming tomorrow.
> 
> Ash, you better feel gratified. I wouldn't write my babies angsting for just anyone, you know. ❤️


	13. KANDREW — fighting, pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@svragent](http://svragent.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil and fighting; continuation of [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31290606).  
>  **Rating:** T

"I am listening," Kevin says eventually. "I just— Andrew, I don't _understand_."

When does he ever understand? Andrew could leave it at that, but Kevin now looks more distressed than angry. He can't stand that: the pitiable little crease in his brow and downturn of his mouth makes Andrew queasy.

"We left him behind before. I will not do it again."

Kevin starts to speak, but then the penny drops, and he's silent again for several blissful moments.

"That wasn't our fault," he says, eventually. "Our contracts were up; we had no choice but to graduate and move to other teams."

"No, we did not— then. Now we do."

"And what," Kevin says, and the angry look is back. "You don't want to leave him alone, but it's all right for me?"

"Yes."

Kevin steps back like Andrew has slapped him, looking betrayed.

"You need it," Andrew clarifies, before Kevin can miss the point again and say something he'll regret, and which Andrew will seethe over for months. "He does not."

"I _need it_ ," Kevin repeats, somehow sounding both dubious and condescending. "What is it that you think I need?"

"To do something alone."

Kevin scoffs.

"I do plenty alone. I've been alone since I graduated."

"Not anymore; now you have Neil back. And you were not alone by choice. You said so yourself: your contract was up. You had to leave Palmetto. You would have stayed if you could, correct?"

Kevin's expression is downright thunderous now. He crosses his arms across his chest, tucking his hands under his arms as if he needs protection from the truth. It takes him a minute, but eventually he spits it out:

"Yes."

"With us."

"Yes."

"You would have waited, even though it meant deferring your pro career."

" _Yes_ , Andrew. What fucking point are you making?"

"That you hate to be alone, still, even after all these years away from the Nest. It is the only thing you will allow to come between you and your game."

Kevin flinches, but does not argue, and Andrew continues:

"You need to learn to deal with it."

"Why?" Kevin says, and he's clearly aiming for cool, though he comes off more panicked than anything else. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Never."

Kevin relaxes at that— just fractionally, but it's enough to soothe Andrew's irritation. Kevin trusts him. Believes him. Wants him.

He holds out a hand, and Kevin takes it.

"I will never leave. You still need to learn you can do things alone."

"I don't want to leave _either_ of you behind again."

"You are not," Andrew says simply, because it feels simple to him. "This was always your dream. We knew that."

"When I dreamed about it, you two were with me."

"Then you will have to be patient."

"Not my forte," Kevin admits, though he allows Andrew to pull him into a kiss.

"Something else you need to learn."

Kevin's soft snort of laughter and Andrew's answering kiss says more than their words ever could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out I could barely cover ONE of the fights in the 500 words, so there'll be one resolution a day for a while. Tomorrow: Neil and Andrew.


	14. ANDREIL — fighting pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@svragent](http://svragent.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil and fighting; continuation of [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31290606).  
>  **Rating:** T

Neil broods a lot over the following week. He knows it's vaguely hypocritical (okay— maybe more than _vaguely_ ) considering that Kevin has to bribe him to eat his fish and vegetables, but with Andrew it's different. Andrew smokes too heavily and eats too much shit... And unlike Neil, he won't allow anyone to nag him him into better habits. 

It's on his mind enough that he spaces out briefly during Monday's practice. Jack is quick to point it out, and Robin, ever Andrew's protege, pops her next ball back at his helmet for it.

She still comes to Neil after practice, settling down beside him on the roof, knees tucked up to her chin.

"What happened with Andrew?"

Neil shoots her a cool look.

"What makes you think it's Andrew?"

"You were with him this weekend, so what else could it be? Something's up. You don't have to tell me, but I'm here if you want to talk."

Neil almost never wants to talk, but sometimes it helps, so he spills it all out: how worried he is, how much he hates being left behind, how he misses them, how hard it is. Robin listens, but says little.

She's good like that.

When he texts Andrew, there's nothing unusual in his responses— They're brief, as they often are with Andrew, but there's nothing of a chill in them. It's the same when he calls. Neil doesn't mention it, and neither does Andrew. They have other things to talk about, anyway: Andrew's pro team, the newest Foxes, Kevin, Kevin's pro team (which will soon also be Neil's), their future.

They don't talk about the fight (was it even really a fight?), and they don't feel _off_ , but Neil can still taste the undercurrent of what's not being said, and he wonders if Andrew can sense it, too. He doesn't ask, and _that_ feels off, but it also feels like just a symptom of the distance between them. Neil hopes it will disappear once they're closer again, once he can get into bed at night and feel Andrew at his back, warm and safe and _there_.

He's torn on whether or not to mention it on his next visit— it had soured things last weekend, and he doesn't want that again. Still, it's not like he can just _stop caring_ , not about Andrew. What he needs is to find a better way to come at it, one that won't spoil their time together, but will still remind Andrew that his health —that Andrew himself— is important.

Andrew's still at practice when he arrives, so Neil uses his key to let himself in, then goes to the kitchen to make coffee.

He finds the fridge half-stocked with vegetables, and a box of Kevin's preferred protein bars on the counter.

Neil stares for a long moment, lips slowly curving into a smile.

They don't talk about _that_ , either— but when Andrew arrives home, Neil gives him the best welcome he can think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter —Neil and Kevin— coming up tomorrow! ❤️


	15. KEVINEIL — fighting pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@svragent](http://svragent.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil and fighting; continuation of [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13479846/chapters/31290606).  
>  **Rating:** T

"Neil."

Kevin makes the door before him, blocking his path.

"Move," Neil says: jaw set, eyes steely.

"No. Listen first."

"Fuck your listen."

"I'm not blaming you for anything. It wasn't an accusation, it was a _reminder_. I remember how you were after we lost that game to the Trojans."

"I remember how you were, too," Neil says, which _is_ an accusation, but Kevin's not about to be blown off-track by it, even if it does hurt.

"Because I knew we weren't ready. So did you. But this year, Neil— We've got enough subs with enough training that we have a shot. This year, we can win... But only if we keep pushing, right to the end."

"So you can have another Championship under your belt?"

" _Yes_ , damn it," he admits, because Neil's not wrong, though he's missing a lot, too. "But not only for me. For you, for your first year as Captain. Do you realise how incredibly attractive that will make you to professional teams: a win your first year as a player, and another your first year leading the team? It's the kind of thing that means managers fighting over you, the kind of thing that means having your pick of teams."

Neil's shoulders drop and drop as Kevin speaks, but he still turns away, frustrated, and runs a hand through his hair.

"If I push them any harder, they'll break."

"They won't."

"I don't want this place to be like Evermore."

"It isn't." Kevin steps in behind him and wraps his arms around Neil's chest, drawing him back against Kevin's own. There's tension in him, still, but Neil goes: he leans against Kevin's body, settling his arms over Kevin's. "It couldn't be. Coach wouldn't allow it.

"But there is more in them, Neil, and we'll need it if we're going to win. Not just so I can have one more Championship, and not just so you can have a win as a new Captain. For all of them, and— For us. When we go out of the league this year, that'll be the last game we play together for _years_. Don't you want it to be a win?"

" _Kevin_ ," Neil says, and when he turns his face up to Kevin's, he looks stricken. "I wasn't— I keep trying not to think about that."

"I know," Kevin says softly, and the kiss he drops on Neil's lips is softer still. "It's not a prospect I relish, either. But it's inevitable just the same."

"I just want to play with you for as long as I can."

"So push them. If they're serious about their careers, it'll do them good, too."

Neil nods, pressing himself into Kevin's chest as if he can keep him at PSU through force of will and tightness of embrace alone.

"Okay," he says. "Okay."

Kevin's pretty sure he won that argument, but the looming prospect of graduation steals any joy from it.

He hopes taking the Championship will taste more like victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the conclusion of the fight! Not sure what's coming tomorrow, but I'm hoping to do a little something for Valentine's the day after.


	16. KANDREIL — valentine's day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** Everyone who wanted Valentine's day fluff for these babies. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kandreil and V-Day.  
>  **Rating:** G

Here's the thing about Valentine's in the Day-Josten-Minyard household: they don't exactly celebrate it.

Kevin considers romance to be a diverting waste of time, since Neil and Andrew already _know_ he loves them. Andrew considers it a pointless weakness, a forced celebration of something he's not always comfortable admitting on a normal day. As for Neil... He wouldn't notice it existed if not for Nicky sending him photos of racy underwear and asking for his opinions.

But Neil does notice it exists.

And Andrew does feel comfortable admitting it sometimes.

And Kevin very desperately does need them to know that he loves them.

So they acknowledge it in the smallest, most personal of ways: things that are almost incidental, but are truthfully more deliberate than any of them would want to make obvious.

The fourteenth happens to be the morning that Kevin leaves Andrew a chocolate doughnut to go with his coffee; he drops it on the nightstand instead of a protein bar before he leaves for his morning run with Neil, brushing his fingers through Andrew's hair and receiving a pleased, sleepy sound in response.

It's the afternoon of the practice where Andrew doesn't let in a single goal, and not a single return heads in Kevin's direction, either— not even when he gets Andrew in the shin with one of his cheekier shots.

It's the morning that Neil sits even closer to him than usual when they break on their run before turning back, his cheek against Kevin's shoulder as they watch the sun come up over the horizon, the morning he takes Kevin's hand and kisses the scar on the back of it before challenging him to a race he can't possibly win, laughing all the way home.

It's the evening Kevin says _Call Dad and remind him to book the restaurant for dinner this weekend_ , and he doesn't say _my_ dad, and he doesn't needle Neil about eating vegetables, or fuss about the visit, he just grazes his fingers across Neil's lower back and trusts that he will do it, and that he understands.

It's the morning Andrew puts his arms around Neil's waist when he's making breakfast, tugging him back against Andrew's body without asking _Yes or no_ , the day he noses along Neil's throat and murmurs _Maybe the neck fetish is mutual_ instead.

Its the afternoon Neil sits out on the balcony with him and doesn't touch a single cigarette, just watches Andrew with that ridiculous look on his face, chin propped in his hand, and looks so happy that Andrew feels his chest burning with that feeling he used to insist on calling hate.

It's the day the three of them tighten up their orbits, never straying too far from one another, or for too long; the night the three of them curl and flow together until they can't tell where one ends and another begins.

...And if all that just _happens_ to occur on Valentine's...

That's just coincidence, isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of prompt yesterday; I had a crazy day and wiped out. Hopefully another prompt coming later today in the NSFW edition of this!
> 
> Happy V-Day to everyone who has read and responded to my fics! You are all my Valentine, and it means the absolute world to me. ❤️


	17. KEVINEIL — bodyguard nathaniel au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@oxymorts](http://oxymorts.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil + bodyguard/assassin Nathaniel AU  
>  **Rating:** M; warning for this chapter: blood, off-screen character death of a non-canon character, dark!Neil/Nathaniel Wesninski.

" _Nathaniel_." Kevin brushes the hair out of his eyes and drags his thumbs along Nathaniel's cheekbones. There could be a number there to match Kevin's, but instead there's just a smear of blood, Kevin's print now clear at the end of it. "I'm not hurt."

Something releases fractionally in the other boy's body then, but Kevin's not done.

"This," he waves fingers at the blood, "Had better not be yours."

"Some of it," Nathaniel admits, then adds: "But I'm _fine_ , Kevin."

Kevin growls, catching him by the arm and dragging him towards his (their) bathroom.

"Then don't fucking stand around covered in it. You could _catch_ something," he snaps, yanking Nathaniel's shirt up over his head, looking for the damage and finding it high up on his chest, near his collarbone: a along slice clearly meant for his throat.

How close it came almost makes Kevin gag.

"I'm supposed to be looking after you," Nathaniel says, dryly.

"You are looking after me: that's why there's a dead body on my floor, and I'm not hurt."

Nathaniel peers around him to the corpse behind, brows drawn and lips compressed in the way that always makes Kevin ache to kiss him, but he'll wait until he gets the blood cleaned off him first.

"He shouldn't ever have gotten this close. I'll be giving security a talking-to in the morning," he says, then yelps when Kevin pours disinfectant straight across his bare chest. "Kevin, what the fuck?"

"Your pants are already a write-off, and we're going to have to have someone in to do clean-up on this place, anyway," Kevin says, then fumbles for his phone. "We should call that in now."

He should have called it in already, in fact, but Nathaniel was hurt, and that takes priority for Kevin.

It _always_ takes priority for Kevin.

(That's kind of the problem.)

"Do it," Nathaniel says, leaning up to graze his lips against Kevin's jaw, turning his cheek to do it without getting him bloody, "While I get cleaned up."

He pulls a face; it makes him look young for a moment, and Kevin's heart clenches.

"Ichirou is going to want a full report on this anyway— and last time he complained that I dripped on his floor."

"He should be grateful to have you at all," Kevin says quietly, and something _flares_ in Nathaniel's eyes. He pulls Kevin in for another kiss, this time taking no care at all to keep the blood off him.

" _Blasphemer_ ," he says, though there is absolutely no reproach in it. How could there be, considering it's—

"Your influence," Kevin says, and Nathaniel's smile is more cheeky than sharp.

"Probably," he drawls, slow and pleased, fingers curling into Kevin's. "Something else that's my fault: you need to clean up, now, too. My bad?"

Kevin snorts, but allows Nathaniel to push him towards the shower.

They can make the call later; they're not going anywhere, and neither is the intruder.

His guard saw to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a whole AU concept built around this, which you can now read [here](https://onlycareaboutexy.tumblr.com/post/170954894939/kandreil-darknathaniel-bodyguard-au). I will write the longer-form version of this, just, you know, when I have more time. Some day.


	18. (K)ANDREIL — neil + andrew's curls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** [@spookymiscreant](http://spookymiscreant.tumblr.com/). ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Neil + Andrew's curls.  
>  **Rating:** G

Neil sinks into the beanbag and tucks his knees up to his chest, settling in and trying to steel himself for the game ahead. It's Kevin's second match of the season— and the first he'll be playing without Neil and Andrew in close proximity.

The prospect of it makes Neil queasy.

It's been _years_ since Neil's watched Kevin play without being by his side, and this feels weirder than last week, watching from the VIP box. The announcers are still in pre-game discussions when Andrew emerges from their room, going straight to the kitchen for a pint of ice cream. Neil's expecting him to return to the bedroom with it, but instead he stops in front of Neil's beanbag and sits on the floor, just in front of Neil's feet.

He does all of this without speaking, but Andrew never does anything without purpose. Either he knows Neil's nervous and wants to make him feel better, or he actually wants to watch the game. Considering he wouldn't readily admit to either one, Neil doesn't push the issue— he only reaches down to slide his fingers into Andrew's hair, receiving a pleased sigh in response.

"Can I put my feet down?" Neil asks eventually, breaking the silence.

Andrew doesn't look over his shoulder, but his _Yes_ is clear enough, and a moment later Neil's feet are tucked between Andrew's thighs. It's an innocent contact that's immediately grounding, and Neil shuts his eyes, trying not to think about the fact that this time next year, he will still be here in this dorm, and Andrew will be as far away as Kevin is.

"Stop brooding and watch the game," Andrew says, a moment later.

His tone is as bored as ever, but Neil can feel the tension in Andrew's body through his legs and the way his shoulders are tight and drawn to his ears.

"I'm watching," he says quietly, because he hasn't taken his eyes off the screen since the camera cut to footage of the players, and he could see Kevin standing next to his new partner. There's not much Neil can see of his face, but what he can see looks calm, composed, and infinitely steadier than Neil feels.

It's a relief.

He cards his fingers lightly through Andrew's hair, twirling strands around his fingers and dragging his nails over his scalp, unsure if it's himself or Andrew that he's trying to relax. It seems to work for both of them, though; as the game wears on, it becomes clear that Kevin's team are going to win here tonight, and both Neil and Andrew unclench by slow degrees. Andrew tips his head back into Neil's questing fingers, cheek pressed against his thigh, and Neil feels the panic start to ebb out of his veins, replaced by a slick, creeping sense of triumph.

He takes a deep breath —his first since they'd left Kevin alone in his new apartment— and thinks that maybe, they really will all be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lately I've been obsessing about what happens after Kevin graduates, and how Neil and Andrew cope without him.
> 
> It hurts me. :(


	19. KEVINEIL — first kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **For:** Tumblr anon. ❤️  
>  **Prompt:** Kevineil, Kevin and Neil exchanging a soft first kiss.  
>  **Rating:** PG

The revelation of Neil's true identity isn't enough to keep them off the court; that night, anger, fear, and unhappiness fuels them through a gruelling practice. To Kevin's surprise, Neil doesn't complain once, and takes every criticism as it is intended: with the intention of making him a better player. Maybe it's the fantasy of making it to finals, or the desire to prove that Kevin's faith isn't misplaced. Maybe he's just in need of a distraction. Either way, every move is close to perfect, and every correction implemented.

There is, however, no conversation.

Kevin can't stand that— not after everything, not knowing what he knows, not now he can't stop thinking about the boy with the blue eyes and big mouth who had both entered and exited his life with a bang nearly ten years ago.

More than anything, he can't stand the fact he didn't connect those eyes and that mouth with the boy he's been playing Exy with every day for months.

By the time Neil's showered and changed into his clothes, Kevin is waiting for him on the bench in the locker room.

"Neil," he says quietly, snagging the sleeve of Neil's shirt as he passes. Neil stops, looks for a minute like he might, then sits, knees knocking clumsily against Kevin's.

"I don't want to talk about it," he says immediately. "I don't want to talk about it, think about it, remember it. I _can't_ , Kevin."

"Can you talk about the fact that you thought I wouldn't remember you?"

"Well, you _didn't_ ," Neil says, and Kevin sucks in a breath.

"I didn't _recognise_ you. Not _remembering_ you would be a different thing."

Neil seems to have nothing to say to that, so Kevin puts his hand on his shoulder again, finds him warm beneath the shirt, then suddenly has to touch skin. His hand slides up Neil's shoulder to his neck, to his jaw, and presses his palm against it.

Neil goes absolutely still, eyes wide.

Despite everything, _he's_ the one staring at Kevin like he's never seen him before.

"I remember you," Kevin says, and Neil gives a tiny little shudder, leaning into Kevin's hand. " _I remember you_ , Neil."

"I wanted you to. Even if it screwed everything up, I still wanted you to."

His voice is so soft, so urgent, so honest; it tugs at something in Kevin's chest, something wild and raw and wounded.

Kevin knows only one way to quiet that desperate, hollow yearning, so he leans forward and presses his lips to Neil's. It's chaste until Neil's brain catches up to Kevin's mouth, and then he makes a quiet little sound as his hands come up to cup the back of Kevin's head, fingers working into his hair as his tongue drags across Kevin's lip.

It's not like kissing in the Nest.

It's not like anything.

It's still the best thing he's ever felt.

They part just enough to catch their breath, and Kevin whispers, _"I'll remember this, too."_


End file.
